National Grid partnered with Hope for Youth Inc. to support the beautification of the organization’s Seaford Group Home, providing a $6,200 grant for landscaping enhancements, including the planting of arborvitae trees and the revitalization of the home’s front garden.
Hope for Youth serves children and families across Long Island, offering a range of services from clinical and preventive care to foster care and residential programs. Deputy Executive Director and COO of the organization, Chris Fischer, said funding doesn’t typically cover beautification projects, but it plays a crucial role in the lives of the children that Hope for Youth serves.
Fischer said it is important for the organization to have its homes “present well” and “blend in with the neighborhoods.”
“A grant like that goes a long way for us,” he said. “It helps our kids with their self-esteem and makes some proud of their living environment. It helps us to provide them with a normal living experience.”
National Grid awarded the grant to Hope for Youth in January and the work was completed in Seaford in June, according to Fischer.
“It was wonderful to see the beautiful landscaping in front of the home and the row of arborvitae planted in the back,” Yaryl Gonzalez, the community engagement manager for National Grid, said. “These thoughtful touches will help create a safer, more private space for the boys to live and grow.”
Hope for Youth has locations in Amityville, Bellmore, Farmingdale, Bay Shore and Seaford and has been in operation since 1972.
Hope for Youth directly helps roughly 35 foster families and 165 staff members throughout the organization’s six homes.
